Happy Days Quilting

A blog about Applique and Quilting

Sunday, 19 June 2011

The Binding tool

There are several parts of the quilt making process that I have struggled to master and putting on the binding has always been one of them, even down to joining the strips has had me pulling out my hair and reaching for the seam ripper, so when I discovered the binding tool and this helpful video on how to use it, I ordered it immediately!
I have used it twice now, the first time was not the success that I hoped it would be, but put it down to my own inaccuracy, so when I was putting the binding on my sewing machine cover I thought I would take photo's of the process to help me identify any errors on my part.

First step is to measure and mark a space of 12 inches

Sew around the binding leaving the 12 inch gap open, you need enough length of binding to have 10 inches left on either side

Lay the tool on the marked line and the draw a line on the binding

Lay the binding on a cutting mat, match the tool to the marked line and cut

Rotate the tool and again mark the binding

This time the edge of the tool is where you line up the marked line and then cut

Pin the two edges together and then sew

This is where it went wrong, on the tool guide its says to cut away the points, so when you sew them together they are easy to match up, but when I did that it came out wonky!

When I re sewed it judging it by eye it worked out much better and layed lovely and flat

I definitely like this tool and will continue to use it, next time I won't cut off the points to see if it works better.

I have also pulled off the blue backing, I didn't realise it had one, I thought it was made of blue plastic (Duh) its now much easier to see the marked lines!

2 comments:

What a beautiful sewing machine cover! Your quilting is wonderful. I bought this tool also but haven't used it yet, thanks for the info on the correct way to use it and I thought it was blue at first also.